Oh, my…I have discovered the subtle intricacies of North Carolina BBQ. A totally different experience from the bold, smoky heat of the BBQ I’m used to out west, Carolina BBQ sauce is vinegar based. Slightly sweet, slightly tart with a mild heat that just wakes up your tongue. And the meat? Heavenly! I had a sampler platter from High Cotton BBQ in Kitty Hawk yesterday afternoon that was to die for. While I was a little disappointed in the ribs (the meat was fairly chewy even though it did fall from the bone), the pork was succulent and melt-in-your mouth perfection and the brisket was only slightly less so. All this was accompanied by collard greens that were perfect and a wonderful crisp coleslaw. I opted for fries because I like the crisp, salty contrast to the tender meat, even though I didn’t even eat half of them. Trust me, there was no room for dessert and a long walk was definitely in order afterwards.

It was another cool day yesterday…cloudy with occasional glimpses of the sun. I started out the day with a fabulous latte from Sweet T’s Coffee House. Subtle hints of chocolate made this nectar of the gods my go-to brew for my entire (and any future) stay. Afterwards, I had a plate of farm-fresh scrambled eggs and a steaming bowl of the perfect mix of coarse ground yellow and white grits at Stack ’em High Pancakes and So Forth. I left off the bacon in exchange for butter on the grits. No bread either. Fabulous!

No trip to Kitty Hawk is complete without a visit to the Wright Brothers National Memorial? (My $10 Senior Pass from the National Parks Service pays again! You can get yours at age 62!) It was fascinating to see the actual flights marked in distance down the makeshift airstrip. Four flights in all…each going further and further. I stood there with goose bumps thinking of the young brothers taking turns trying out their new contraption, the onlookers cheering and throwing their hats in the air. To think, in all of recorded history, more has been accomplished in the last 114 years than in all the rest combined as far as technology. These bicycle mechanics created a flying machine and now, spacecraft are recording the outer regions of our current capabilities at the edges of our galaxy. It is a marvel.

We are forecasted gale-force winds and rain today. It will be another lay-low day, listening to the rain and wind, curled up with a good book and cup of tea. The rest of the week is supposed to be hot and sunny…solid beach time. Life is sweet on the OBX! I am so blessed to be able to travel. I live a pretty frugal life in order to do this. My mantra now is experiences over stuff. ❤️

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭6:30-32‬ ‭NIV‬‬